Meetings, Again and Again
by GRINtelligencer
Summary: The story of how they met, how they parted, and how they met again. How Sniper was recruited, the details of how Mitari was also recruited, and of how these two met. Chapter Black spoilers.
1. Chapter 1

**Meetings, Again and Again**

Dane Soar

This'll be a fairly short fic, only two parts I think. Most of it was because I realized that in Chapter Black they never say how Sniper joined Sensui and I thought it would be interesting to think up a way.

Enjoy, and please review. Really, not kidding.

Part 1: Sniper; A Rebel With No Cause 

**--------------------------------------------**

The girls crowded around the motorcycle, staring at it with looks of those who knew nothing of such things, but were perfectly able to admire them anyway.

"He's so cute, isn't he?" One said to the other, twittering in a high voice, while shooting 'hands off, he's mine' glares at the other girls. They shot similar looks back.

"Even though he doesn't talk much, those purple eyes are to _die_ for."

Another nodded. "I know, and the whole bad boy look…" she rolled her eyes and licked her lips. "…so working."

"Here he comes!" One girl squealed, hands over her mouth. "Here he comes."

Immediately the girls assumed poses around the bike, one even leaning over it so that her shirt pulled tight over her form, a tried and true trick.

"Kaname," the one near the back wheel purred. Hagiri was drawling near, schoolbag over his shoulder. His much admired purple eyes narrowed as the girls spoke. _Every day. Every single day. This was ridiculous._ "Are you doing anything this evening?"

"Slut." The girl next to her snapped. "Besides, he likes to be called Hagiri, right?" She fluttered her eyelashes at him.

Surveying them coolly, Hagiri listened to their twittering for a few more minutes, then thumped his bag down on the bike hard enough to make the girls jump. The one that had so bravely leaned over the motorcycle retreated hurriedly.

Turning to them, Hagiri raised an eyebrow. His expression was not amused. That was it. The girls scattered like wheat beneath the scythe and Hagiri took the opportunity to get on his bike.

The engine started up with a dull purr and before any of the girls could utter so much as a squeak of protest, he had sped away.

One of the girls fanned herself. "Sooo hot."

"A little shy, though."

"And scary, that look…" she shivered. "But maybe he'd soften up once you get to know him …maybe."

"But sooo hot."

"Oh, close your mouth, you're drooling."

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From the time he was a small child Hagiri had always been fascinated with motorcycles, especially the one his father owned. The hum of the engines and feeling of wind in his hair was something he could never get enough of. He dreamed of riding, and in the daytime was constantly pestering his father to give him a ride. On occasion he could be convinced to do so, other days Hagiri would leave the garage with a black eye.

Finally, one day, his father got on his bike, road away, and never came back.

His mother worked hard after that to raise him and his sister, and from that time on, Hagiri wanted his own bike. He knew that it was an almost impossible dream, but at the time, dreams were all he had.

Dreams of the wind in his hair and the thrum of the engines.

Years later, after countless part time jobs, and what seemed an age of saving, he had enough for a bike.

By then, he was in high school and the next year, would be able to ride it to school without breaking any laws. Strangely enough, the bike seemed to have an odd effect on his classmates, particularly the girls. That was then they started hanging around his bike after school let out, sharpening their claws, each wanting to be the one to snatch him up.

However, Hagiri had no intention on being 'snatched up'. He was determined to enjoy being single, for as long as possible. Plus, gas money didn't come out of thin air; he still kept up a few of his part time jobs.

And today had been particularly annoying. Someday, he would have to figure out a solution to that crowd of girls. For now, a few well placed cold looks would quell them, but he had a feeling that wouldn't work one day.

But for now it did and he would think of something else later, for now there was the wind and the buildings blurring as he passed them, and no one, no one at all could catch him. Hagiri had always been faster than the bullies.

Riding was all he had to enjoy these days, there wasn't really much else that mattered to him. School was a waste, home felt empty with only one parent, and there wasn't much else to his life. He was restless, itching to do something, anything, go somewhere, find himself. But there was no where to go.

Now there was only a job to go to, one that he'd be late to if he didn't lay on the gas a little more. With satisfaction he added it on, the buildings whipped past him at an incredible speed. This was the time he lived for, where no one could catch him, yell at him, or make him do anything. Not that it lasted forever, but it was enough. For now.

Ahead, the river stretched across the road and the traffic was backed up all along the bridge. The road was slick from the rain earlier; wheels skidded on it all over the city and cars crashed together. The resulting backups were enormous.

_Just my luck._ Easing off the gas, Hagiri coasted to a halt behind the last car, just over the edge of the bridge. _Now I will be late_.

The backup seemed to be going nowhere fast and so he propped his arms on the handlebar, and put a foot out to the ground to keep the bike from tipping over. It would be a long wait, he might as well not get angry over it.

SCRREEEEEEEEEEEE…

The thing that happened next would be something that Hagiri would always remember. For nights, years afterward he would go over the things that happened and wonder, if it had happened differently, what would have become of him.

He looked behind him and saw the horror that a car had skidded on a puddle and was headed right toward him. There was no time to think before it hit him. The fender impacted right behind his foot, crumpling the motorcycle around his leg and trapping it. Still the car came on, not able to stop, driving him across the road, toward the edge of the bridge.

If he fell, the water below would suck him down, trapped as his foot was in the bike. He would die.

As the car had hit him, the sharp jerk had made the clutch above the handlebar break off in his fingers. Hagiri, later, wouldn't be able to pin down the reason he had thrown it at the man driving the car, anger perhaps, of sheer retaliation at being driven to his death.

Nevertheless, he was surprised at the result. The clutch smashed through the windshield of the car right were the driver would be. This all happened in the span of a few seconds.

Then he toppled over the side of the bridge.

----------------------------------------

Sensui looked with interest at the piece of medal imbedded in the headrest of his seat. If he had not moved his head at the last second it would have gone through it, instead of in the upholstery.

"That was very close," remarked Itsuki from the opposite seat, in the silence that followed the bike's drop over the edge. "A human cannot usually have that kind of aim. Or power."

"I don't think he was human, Itsuki. I believe that we have witnessed the birth of a psychic, and a one with a great amount of power. Interesting. Perhaps some kind sniper."

"A psychic…well then, do you wish me to…?" Itsuki raised an eyebrow and a hand in question.

Considering for a few moments Sensui finally nodded. "Yes. If you would be so kind?"

With a mere blink of power, Itsuki summoned another set of his arms into being. Catching the falling youth just before he went into the water, the green and eyed arms flicked a finger, and sent the twisted remains of the motorcycle spinning away. It splashed down into the water, and sunk instantly. Raising the young man up they carefully set him back on the bridge.

Opening his car door Sensui stepped out onto the street, going over to crouch by the unconscious form whose one leg as twisted at an angle never seen in whole bones.

"You hit him," Itsuki commented. "it seems almost intentional."

"Perhaps," replied Sensui, reaching to check for a pulse in the young man's neck. "Perhaps."

----------------------------------------

Drifting in seas of unreality, Hagiri remained very happily unconscious.

Then a voice nearby, as annoying as a buzzing insect, said. "Hey, you, Red, wake up, I saw you twitch, I know you're not really asleep."

He groaned and tried to wake up, but his eyes remained firmly shut. Even if his mind really had wanted to wake up, his body was bound and determined to stay as it was.

A finger poked him in the ribs. "Red, hey Red, wakey wakey." His leg throbbed, along with various other aches and pains.

_Red…? Who… that's not…_ But of course. His jacket, the one he wore constantly regardless of any weather. It was warm in the winter and cool in the summer and was colored a deep red.

The finger came again. _Poke._ "Rrrrreeeeeed." _Poke, poke, poke._ "Come on. You're awake, I know, stop pretending." The voice was singsong, and high, probably a kid, or someone young.

He groaned again, shifting, trying to bring himself to open his eyes.

"Come on, Red."

That was it.

The kid stepped back as calm purple eyes glared at him. Then he grinned. "I said so Red. You were awake."

"...smysname's not Red." Hagiri said, slurring the words.

The boy, because he couldn't be more than eleven, grinned impudently. "Yes it is." he pointed at the jacket that lay over a nearby chair. "See, Red."

"…right."

"Or I guess I should call you Sniper, that's what Mr. Sensui said you name was."

Hagiri's head felt like it was stuffed with cotton. Were was he…? How did he…? He sat up and then remembered in a jolt. Putting his hands over his face, he sighed. _My bike is totaled. Oh, damn_.

"What's the matter, Sniper?"

"My name is not Sniper. And why do you keep calling me that?"

"Yes it is, Sniper. My name is Amanuma and they called me Gamemaster. And it's what Mr. Sensui named me." He said the name that he had mentioned once before as if it was golden.

"Who is that, anyway?" Hagiri looked between his fingers. "You talked about him before."

"Mr. Sensui is…" Amanuma started but cut off as a tall man walked in.

"Gamemaster, you seem talkative today." The tall man had an enchanting voice and piercing blue eyes. "How long has he been awake?"

"Not long, Mr. Sensui." Suddenly the child was polite and could speak without babbling insanely.

"I see. Now, Gamemaster, please go, I think you should practice your games a bit. You'll want the be prepared when the time comes." The man, Sensui, seemed to invoke some sort of awe in Amanuma. He nodded and then scurried out of the room.

Sitting up the rest of the way, Hagiri winced as his leg throbbed once, then settled down to a dull ache around the ankle. His ribs hurt too, and he was going to bet he had a spectacular set of bruises. Then he matched the face of the man before him with that of the person behind the wheel of the car.

"You hit me." It was a clear accusation.

A smile touched the man's face. "Yes, I did. It was an accident, but a fortunate one for you."

"Fortunate? My bike must have been wrecked."

"Yes, it was. I can get you another."

It had seemed so casual to the man that it immediately sparked a bit of anger in Hagiri. "That bike took me years to save up for!"

"And I will replace it, as I said."

There was really no replying to something like that.

"And of course, where are my manners?" The man shook his head. "My name is Shinobu Sensui and I have a proposition for you."

"Oh, really?" Hagiri's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Yes. I saw your potential when I saw the incredible power you wielded on the bridge."

"What power?"

"That piece of medal you threw at me. It was quite a throw, the accident must have made your power suddenly manifest."

"I still don't understand a word of what you're saying. And how did I get here anyway? My leg must have been broken at least by that impact." It didn't hurt near enough for that.

Sensui chuckled, enjoying a private joke. "It was; one of my associates, Doctor, was able to dull it down to a twisted ankle only. I'm sure you appreciate that."

"How did…?"

"Later," said Sensui. "for now, I have something I want to show you."

"See what?" asked Hagiri cautiously.

"Oh, nothing much, just a film."

"A film?"

"Yes, and believe me, everything will make sense after that."

"What's it called?"

"Chapter Black."

**--------------------------------------------**

It was quite a while after that, after the new bike had appeared in the driveway, his leg had healed the rest of the way, and the gun appeared in his room, that Sensui told him to go pick up something for him.

Having been told of the plan, the tunnel, and the power situation, Hagiri was very quietly in his element with them. He had found a cause to fight for. And it was a perfectly good one too. If humans had done all that…well, they might as well be killed.

"Why?" He asked Sensui. "You usually have Doctor get things for you."

Sensui smiled an unusual smile. "Today I have a feeling, that you might be the better person to do this. And if you just happen to meet someone odd, take him back here."

"There's more to this than you're telling me, isn't there?"

"It's just a hunch, Sniper, just a hunch. Now, off with you."

And Hagiri obeyed, as he would for many more days.

------------------------------------------------------------------------


	2. Chapter 2

**Meetings, Again and Again**

Dane Soar

The second and last part of this story. The review number wasn't so good but it's not really about the reviews.

Sniper manages to get hurt in this one two. The guy just can't keep himself out of trouble.

Part 2: Mitari: The Lonely Boy 

**--------------------------------------------**

Mitari remembered clear as crystal when he'd first met Sniper. It was one of those things that you never forgot.

It had been a bad day in a line of bad days. That was back when he still was getting beat up so often, and the bullying had been at its worst. The boys had come on him when he was walking home, yanking him off the street and into an alley. Then that was were they had left him, bloody and bruised, to either drag himself home, or lay there.

For the moment, he chose to lay for a bit, 'til he could gather his strength to get up. Or maybe not. Maybe this time, he would just lay here and die.

Tears welled up his eyes and he clenched his hands, fingers digging into the ground until the knuckles scraped the concrete and bled. It wasn't really that he hurt so much that made him cry, it was the whole thing. Getting picked on, getting beat up, and letting it all happen.

That was the worst part of it all. Mitari knew there was probably something he could do to stop this happening to him. But he never bothered to find out what it was. It was easier just to go with it all, and try to survive.

That kind of thinking made him feel sick, and the feeling had slowly crawled into the rest of his life, ruining every bit it touched. Even his grades were dropping.

Bitter sobs wracked his body as he finally gave up the fight and cried. It wasn't the first time he had done it, but the tears never really seemed to help.

There was the sound of something falling in front of him. When he looked up, there was a knife stuck in the ground, just in front of his face.

"If it's that bad, you might as well end it now."

Mitari looked up to see the speaker.

The young man was probably not much older than him, in the last year of high school perhaps and sat on a bike easily, his foot out to hold it steady. He had short, shaggy, black hair and his chin was resting on his hand, which was propped on the bike's handlebar as he looked down on him. And his eyes…

Now Mitari knew something about eyes. He could tell a lot about a person just by looking into them. It had helped him tell a bully from other people, they always had a piggy, small look about them, with a bit of fear underneath.

This guy's eyes were an unusual shade of purple, and as they looked down on him, he was able to read quite a lot in them. They belonged to a proud, arrogant person, someone who rebelled against everything, even if they had no reason to. And beneath that was loneliness, the kind that came from being so different from everyone that you had no one. Mitari knew what that felt like only to well.

"Well?" The young man said, "Are you going to do something, or did I just waste a good knife?"

He found he couldn't answer; somehow, his voice had been frozen in his throat. After a few minutes he was able to force his arm to move, fingers to reach out, and close around the knife. But he couldn't find the strength to pull it out of the ground. His ribs ached, so did various parts of his body, and one of those boys had cut him across the arm. They all throbbed suddenly, and his grip on the knife loosened.

The man sighed with what sounded like annoyance. "You look pitiful." Reaching down, he grabbed Mitari by the arm, hoisting him upright. The younger boy cried out in pain. "It can't be that bad."

Mitari held up his cut arm and the man hissed sympathetically.

"They really did a number on you, didn't they?" said the man, and to his surprise, sat him on the bike. Then he pulled a cloth out of his pocket and tied it around Mitari's arm. "That should do it for now. Doctor can probably patch it up better than I can."

And suddenly he found his voice. "Why…?"

With a flap of his hand, the young man cut off what he was going to say. "Don't thank me yet." He reached back and gestured into thin air. The knife rose up from the ground, and fitted itself into his hand.

"How did you do that?" asked Mitari, a bit awed.

That was when the purple-eyed stranger held the knife to his neck. "So back to my original question, do you want to live? I'm told that after a little pain, it all goes away. You think that'd be better?"

He panicked then. For some reason, Mitari had never wanted to die, even in his darkest moments. His life hurt, but at least it was still there. He didn't want to die though, he was sure of that.

Lashing out, he caught the other teen in the chest, pushing him backwards as he cried out. This obviously joggled the arm that held the knife and it cut a thin line of fire across his neck before the man withdrew it.

Suddenly, Mitari was angry. He didn't know were it came from or if he had ever felt this way, but he could feel the emotion pulsing through his veins setting them on fire. Who was this guy anyway? Who did he think he was with his weird words and really sharp knives?

His attention was drawn to a drop of blood, though it was such a small thing, as it slithered down his neck, under his tee shirt, out of his sleeve, and off his fingertip. It sounded like it took so long, but there was only a fraction of a second as it dropped off his finger, and down onto the street. There had been rain that day, and the puddles still remained in the alley. Into this the blood droplet fell.

That was the moment it all changed. All the anger he felt, all the pain from the beating he had just received, and it seemed to go into that tiny bit of liquid as it entered the water. The other man had stepped away from him, putting the knife away into to some unknown pocket and was eyeing him with part curiosity and part disdain.

"Made a choice?" He asked.

Mitari lowered his head. "Yes," said he, in a low tone. "I have." Then he felt something strange and his eyes were again drawn to the slightly bloody water.

It boiled and changed color, as both of them watched with horror. Mitari was still sitting on the bike but the other man was standing near the puddle and the thing leap toward him. The other man stumbled, then was slammed against the wall as the water thing attacked his throat. He made a gurgling sound and clawed at it. Not that it seemed to make a difference to the water thing; it reformed around his hand, and trapped it too.

"What the…" The man cut off the end of his sentence and the water seeped into his mouth. He coughed, and his eyes went wide as the water went down his throat. Slumping against the wall again, he slid to the ground but his eyes were still on Mitari. They held perfect eye contact as the older teen made a desperate gesture and rocks from the alleyway rose into the air. He flicked his fingers, and they hurled at him as if powered by some unseen force, smashing through the water creature at his throat.

"…call it off…" The man rasped.

Mitari blinked. "What, you mean me? But it's not…"

The water thing began to reform around his neck, and he clawed at it once more. It trapped the fingers of the hand he used again.

With horror Mitari saw this happening, his mind almost rebelling against the truth of what he saw. That thing was…it had formed from his… then wait…it was something he had made. Could he…

Making a gargling noise the young man rasped out. "Call off… your goddamn monster."

Monster? Then it was his? But it was going to kill the man! And as much as he disliked him, Mitari didn't like death in any way or form. The man coughed and the water went down his throat again. He gagged and Mitari felt the color drain from his face. His monster was going to kill this guy he barely knew. His fingers touched the cloth the other had tied around his arm to halt the bleeding and he remembered that small bit of kindness, the only that had been shown to him the entire day. It made his resolve firm, he had to do something!

"Stop," He said, but it was barely a squeak. His fingers dug into the bike's seat. "Stop it," he repeated louder. "Stop!"

And wonder of all wonders, the thing of water obeyed him, retreating. It oozed into a pile and formed up into a tear shaped creature with a wickedly grinning face.

The older teen slumped back against the wall, and, turning on his side, coughed up water.

"Are you…alright?" asked Mitari hesitantly.

Wiping his mouth on the back of his hand, the other man stood shakily, using the wall as support. "No…but I will be, in a few." After some minutes he was able to stand upright and went over to his bike. "Have you ever done that before?" He rubbed his throat.

He shook his head.

"Ah." The man seemed a little disappointed. "So you'll have to learn to use it, but all the same, you definitely…" the teen rasped and had to cough before he could go on. "…have a good amount of power."

"What?" blinked Mitari. "What do you mean by power?" he glanced at the water beast still standing- or whatever- there in the alley.

"Yeah, power, what do you think that thing is?" He pointed at the beast.

For some reason, Mitari couldn't answer that. It was a complete blank out moment. "Go away," He told it quietly and somehow it worked. The creature subsided into water again, tamely going back to being a puddle.

The man raised an eyebrow. "Wish you had figured out how to do that sooner." His neck was bruised but his voice was starting to get back to the way it was before. "Here." Reaching around Mitari, he grabbed a helmet off the bike and handed it to him.

Surprised, he took it. "What's this for?"

Fishing in a pocket, the man took out a pair of keys. "You're a mess, and if I leave you now that your power is working you'll probably get into trouble."

He felt the pain of his variously bumps and bruises ache again, having forgot them briefly in all the action. And the guy, before threatening his life, he had promised to take him to someone who'd patch him up. He put on the helmet.

That was why he didn't protest when the other man got on the bike and it rumbled into life.

"I forgot to ask, but what's your name, kid?" The guy called back to him over the sound over the engine noise. "And hold on."

He did that, calling back. "Mitari." Giving his whole name was probably a bad idea.

"Call me Kaname Hagiri. But just Hagiri these days."

They took off.

Neither knew it at the time, but one psychic calls to another. And that something had just begun, that would change them both.

**--------------------------------------------**

"And who is this?" asked the new man who had just come into the room.

Mitari sat up, and was relived that the man who had called himself simply Doctor had been able to banish all his various aches and pains. The wounds had surprisingly closed right in front of his eyes, startling a gasp out of him.

Then he had left him in the small, clean room, alone, until Hagiri returned with another man in tow. The other man was older then both of them easily, tall, with black short hair, and clear blue eyes that Mitari couldn't read anything in.

"I ran into a psychic on the way here." Hagiri responded shortly. "Thought I should bring him in."

"I have the feeling, Sniper," the man had a melodious voice that was captivating to listen to. "that there is much more to the story then that. However, I'll let it go." He gestured to Hagiri's neck. "Have you had Doctor look at that?"

Hagiri's eyes slid to the side and avoided the new man's. "It's nothing. Looks worse than it is."

"Right." The man replied, then turned his attention to Mitari, who instantly understood why Hagiri had avoided the man's gaze. His blue eyes were a bit scary to have trained just on you. "My name is Shinobu Sensui, and though I know it sounds strange, but I think you are exactly what we have been looking for."

"R-Really?" He asked, stuttering out of nervousness. "You need me?"

"Perhaps. Just listen to me for a bit, and I'm sure you'll understand."

"Understand what?"

"The impurities of humanity. And I think you of all people will get what I'm talking about."

**--------------------------------------------**

That was the beginning of it all, and Sensui had gone through with his plan, but wasn't able to do it. Mitari had found himself on the other side, with people he had first hated, then gradually came to respect. Together with Yusuke and his friends, Sensui was stopped in time.

But Mitari had always wondered what had become of Hagiri, and had even asked Yusuke once.

"Who?" Yusuke had said.

"Sniper," clarified Mitari, using Hagiri's Seven name instead. "I just wondered… you know, what happened to him. I didn't see him when we came out of the cave."

Yusuke shrugged. "I fought him before I even got to the cave, Sensui threw him at us to keep me from catching him while I was going after Kuwabara after they snagged him."

"And…?"

"And after he fought a bit Hiei showed up and took him out."

He knew he went pale then, though he had to ask. "How?"

"He stabbed him." Yusuke replied and seeing Mitari's expression of extreme shock raised an eyebrow. "What, was he a buddy of yours or something?"

Mitari fiddled with his hands in his lap. "Not really. I just…wondered if you knew. Things were such a mess after we got out of the cave. I thought maybe he was in the cave when it fell in and…you know…"

"Hardly. Last time I saw him he was bleeding on a ridge, but definitely alive."

"And you just left him there like that?"

"Well…yeah. Hiei and I did. Look, he was, might I remind you, trying to kill me shortly before that."

"But last you saw him, he was alive?"

"Yep. That's about it." It was then that Kurama had interrupted, with an inquiry that had to do with a pair of scissors and Yusuke's newly sprouted long hair, a byproduct of the fight with Sensui. The subject had been forgotten for the moment, but Mitari always wondered what had become of Hagiri.

Doctor was alive, right? So maybe he had found…well it was possible… not very…but possible.

**--------------------------------------------**

As it turned out, Hagiri would vanish from his life for years. Not even Spirit World knew were he had gotten to, never mind the likes of Mitari.

He would end up running into him again, however, in the most literal sense of the wording.

_Thud._

The person he ran into tried to catch him before he fell, but neither momentum or gravity were on their side and they ended up in a mess of limbs on the ground. The one who had run into him shoved him off and Mitari used the sudden freedom to scramble upright.

Once he got to his feet he turned to look at whoever it was. He was on one knee, a hand pressed to a shoulder that was rapidly turning his shirt red.

The man glared at him though shaggy back hair, with familiar purple eyes. Wincing he gritted out. "You should watch where you're goin …" Then he recognized him. "…wait…Mitari…? Is that you?"

"I would hope," Mitari replied laughing. "If I wasn't me, there could be a problem." Then he noticed the blood, and that Hagiri was bruised. "Hey, are you okay?"

He staggered upright and leaned against the wall, glancing back the way he had come.

"It's not half as bad as it looks, one of those guys grazed me and I haven't had time to do something about it. It's nothing to worry about. On that note, I have to get out of here before they catch up to me. Then it'll be bad. You had better get out of here so you don't get caught up in this. You're a decent guy, Mitari, and you don't need to get involved in this."

"Involved in what? Who is it that you're running from, did they do that to you?"

"Demon gang, these days it seems like I can never get out of trouble. But it's better if you leave before they get here. It'll be nasty."

He shook his head. "No. I'm not about to leave you here alone."

"Stop that, there's no need for you to be noble. That kind of thing gets you killed."

But he shook his head again. He wasn't about to let a former ally alone, even if the cause they had together, was not all too noble in itself. But that didn't make Sniper a bad person, all and all.

"Stubbornness will get you nowhere."

They froze as the sound of feet pounding on concrete reached them along with raised voices. "He went this way!" "Where is he?" "Dunno, but when I find that punk…"

"Can you still use your territory?" Hagiri asked Mitari urgently, but he shook his head.

"I can't use my power on other people!!"

"Fine then," The former Sniper frowned in concentration. "I'll do it my way." There was a charge in the air, and trash and rocks rose into the air.

Mitari made a split second choice. He wasn't about to let Hagiri kill more people, even if they weren't the best part of humanity. So he grabbed Hagiri by the arm and took off running.

**--------------------------------------------**

"That was pretty reckless," said Hagiri, sitting in a chair. With the twin advantages of surprise and speed they had managed to get away from the gang completely unseen. Mitari had taken them to his tiny apartment and made sure he locked the door behind them both.

"I know it was stupid of me. Here, let me look at that shoulder, it's really been bleeding." With an armful of bandages, Mitari sat in a chair beside him. Hagiri let him. He hadn't been kidding, it was a shallow cut, but hadn't been dealt with and had really started bleeding. "Take your shirt off, I can't bandage this otherwise."

Doing as he said, Hagiri inspected the gash in his shirt with a sigh. "I don't think this shirt is wearable anymore."

"I don't know about that, I could probably fix it, and I have a bleach that does wonders for getting blood out of cloth. Kurama recommended it to me years ago." Mitari dealt with the shoulder slash carefully, cleaning, and then bandaging it.

"What happened to them in the end?"

"Oh, I forgot, you weren't there."

"No. I got taken out before that." Out of what seemed like habit, Hagiri's hand reached up to touch the small scar, right next to his heart.

"Yeah. I heard about that from Yusuke. How did you… you know, get away?"

"Doctor found me, I don't really remember how, and he put me back together."

"After that?" He tucked the end of the bandage under to finish it off.

"I finished school and headed out. Been traveling around for some time now, but eventually I came back here."

"Why on earth were those people chasing you, did you make then angry?"

"Something like that." He didn't seem to want to elaborate.

Sitting back, Mitari inspected the treated shoulder and nodded with satisfaction. "Do you have anywhere to go?"

"Not really." He pulled his ruined shirt back on. "I was staying in an apartment for a while, but I think they know were that is." There was no question who 'they' were.

"Um, do you still have that motorcycle?"

"Yeah, why?"

A smiled pulled Mitari's mouth. "Well then, I'll make you a deal. If you give me another ride, I'll let you stay here."

Hagiri looked surprised, the expression didn't go well with the facial bruises. "You will?"

"If you want to."

"You know I think…that might be what I need. Somewhere to stay for a bit. Ah… Thanks."

"Anytime Hagiri, anytime."

One psychic is naturally drawn to another, though no one really knows why.

**END**

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